Fractured
by Charlmeister
Summary: Erza Scarlet, the only female apart of the FIU (Fiore Investigation Unit), is sent in to work with the Magnolia force to find a killer. But what happens when the prime suspect happens to be her childhood friend, Jellal? AU. Rated M for gore, swearing and sexual content. Jellal x Erza; Laxus x Erza.
1. Prologue

_**A/N: So after some thinking, I've decided to try my hand at a Jerza fanfiction. I got an idea for an AU setting and thought that it could really work between these two. This is also one of those stories that will take time to build so hopefully I stay motivated and inspired to keep at this, because I really enjoy the idea of this story. Hopefully you all who take the time out to read it enjoy it as well ^-^/ **_

_**O.o.O.o **_

His hands were stained in the thick crimson of her blood. Her eyes were wide, blue pools of frozen agony and despair. Thin threads of her hair fanned over her paling face; her lips formed a crooked 'O' and blood leaked over the corners of her mouth. Her throat was gashed, life still sluggishly pumped from the wound; the flesh like beaten meat inside. He frowned down at the body, obvious distaste and disappointment swirling in the red that consumed the natural colour of his brown eyes. He blinked down at the girl's lifeless body. It was probably the glazed look of her eyes, the thick and raw scent of her cruel death that made his consciousness sink in and with a few more rapid blinks, the red was gone from his eyes and brown orbs stared down at the body.

He scrambled away from her body, his hands braced against the gravelly ground of the alleyway as he looked down at her nakedness. The fabric of her blue dress was torn. Innocence was ripped from her. Her stomach was punctured in several places, blood drenched the skin and soaked the earth beneath. Her beauty became distorted by the blood; a frozen and terrified look on her face.

Moonlight rinsed her body in an intangible comfort; the shadows encroached, trying to hide her. He continued to stare at her body then at his hands, his eyes wide in confusion and terror. _Had he done this? Had he…_

His face was marked by dots and splashes of her blood. His shirt was stained by it and drenched in the fresh odor of her death – the entirety of his being was enveloped in it. He wanted to run and scream that he hadn't done this. Then came the flashbacks; the screams of different girls but all mirrored the same frantic desperation to escape, the plea that he not kill them. He covered his ears as if that could help to block the screams and cries that ricocheted off the walls of his mind.

Everything seemed to close in on him and he gasped, his throat constricting as if he couldn't breathe. It was the soft whisper of his name that chased away the memories that haunted him. _Her voice_. He looked up towards the disembodied voice, his brown-eyed gaze expressing his panic, reminiscent of a child's.

The footsteps were slow and methodical against the gravel and the silhouette of a female form solidified against the shadows. He blinked up at her; the ivory of her skin glowing in the moonlight. She was beautiful; all of her – from the long silk of her jet black hair that framed her face, to the serenity of her perfect face. Her gentle expression and comforting smile eased his fear.

"Ultear, I-"

"Sshh," she said. Her voluptuous body was clothed in a blue dress that clung to her curves, a white band tied at the waist. Over the dress, she wore a cloak and the sleeves hung limply at her shoulders. Her soft palm caressed his cheek and she looked beyond him to the dead girl.

He saw the tick of her jaw, the fleeting look of disappointment that crossed her dark eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, knowing he had done something wrong.

"It's okay." The smile was back and she helped him to his feet. "Let's go."

"What about her? We can't leave the body here."

"Yes, we can. She' be okay." Before she walked away, she whispered something in the tongue that he hardly understood – at least not in his conscious state – then took his hand and led him down the opposite end of the alleyway.

Ultear kept her composure about her but when she finally put Jellal to sleep and left their bed, she screamed in the room where the sound would not carry. This didn't need to happen. Not when she was so close to unlocking one of the seals of Zeref's demons that would bring her closer to finding the Dark Mage. Why was he no longer staying under the possession? What was she not doing correctly? The first, few times she had sent him to kill those girls, it had gone well – without a hitch – and he had been there during the sacrifices. What had changed now? Was it because they were now in Magnolia? Did he have some connection here?

Whatever it was, she needed him to snap out of it because she needed his power to bring her closer to Zeref.

O.o.O.o


	2. Chapter (One)

_**A/N: The first chapter. I've always imagined Laxus and Erza sharing some intimacy but nothing too personal. Besides shipping her with Jellal, I do think she would have an interesting relationship with Laxus - probably even Gray. Gildarts even. But that's besides the point! Hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think ^-^/**_

**O.o.O.o**

It wasn't so much the glare of the sun against her closed eyes that roused her from sleep; but Laxus' firm grip around her waist. It made her feel confined, trapped, and she shoved her elbow in his hard gut that worked a surprised grunt from her co-worker. She looked over her shoulder at him and frowned after passing a glance to the digital clock on the night table by his side.

"What are you still doing here? I thought you said you had an early shift last night," she grumbled and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She stretched for her t-shirt on the floor and pulled it over her naked body.

Laxus was still rested on his back, slowly blinking the sleep from his eyes as he watched her move about her room. He smiled at how thin the shirt was and the view of her ass was causing his body to respond in a way he knew she would disapprove of right now. "You need the company," he drawled and stretched his hands above his head, his knuckles hitting into the headboard of the bed. She stopped what she was doing, his clothes in a bundle against her chest as she looked at him with a raised brow; her red hair laid over her shoulders.

"Do I need to redefine the terms of our friendship?"

Laxus chuckled and sat up at the same time she threw his clothes at him. "Get dressed. Get out." She turned then and disappeared inside the bathroom, closing the door with such finality that made Laxus smile.

He wondered exactly what it would take to break down her barriers, to get Erza to be at such a place that she was comfortable to be with him. She treated everything with such a business-like quality, but he guessed that was what drew him to her. He didn't even know that she would have actually taken him up on his offer for them to have sex. Sure, he hadn't been the one to imply that it be casual and nothing personal, but getting into Erza's bed was an accomplishment on its own. He doubted she'd ever slept with any of the other men in the force. There were rumours that she and Gildarts used to fuck around but she never made any of that obvious.

Sometimes he felt at a disadvantage where she was concerned because he had feelings for her but knew that it would never be reciprocated. Erza had no time to deal with feelings of love. All her efforts and time was invested in her work; the only thing she treated with real passion. Sure, the sex they had was always amazing, especially on the nights when Erza showed up on his doorstep, drunk and frustrated with work, and just needed him to take care of her for the night.

His cock throbbed from the memory of those nights and there was an electrical charge of heat that ran through him. But he'd have to ignore that for now. He glanced to the digital clock, stoic and unyielding as it blinked the time at him. 7:45 A.M. _Ahh shit, he was late for work._ The fact just sunk in. He got out the bed and went to the bathroom.

She was rinsing the lather from her skin when he whipped the shower curtain back. Erza turned to face him, her hands covering her chest. It wasn't fright that stamped itself across her features, but rage.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked her voice half-raised in anger.

"Thought I'd join, save you the bathwater and myself the trouble of going home to shower."

Erza rolled her eyes and turned back to the overhead spray. Sometimes she didn't understand why she bothered with Laxus. But these few indiscretions were things she could overlook. Overall, he wasn't a bad person and most of the time respected the boundaries she set between them. She knew that at times it bothered him about how private she was about her personal life. But the fact that he had readily accepted her terms when he had asked – no, told – her to sleep with him that first night, didn't make her too concerned about his feelings.

Erza preferred not to get emotionally involved with anyone; she had tried times in the past but had come to the conclusion that no one was able to deal with the baggage of her past that still came back to haunt her. Only one person had been able to deal with that…

Her hands slowed against her body at that thought, and it was then that she felt the hardness of Laxus' body against her back. She closed her eyes, the word 'no' on her lips but when his hands gently gripped her hips, ran down the outsides of her thighs then in towards her throbbing flesh, she sighed.

"What are you doing?" she murmured as she leaned her head back against his chest. She looked up at him and saw him, his dark golden eyes, looking right back at her. She reached a hand up to the side of his face, her fingers glanced the scar over his right eye. Was that the reason why she had chosen him? Because in his own way, he reminded her…of _him_?

She closed her eyes as his fingers moved over her soft flesh, then slid inside of her. No, that was ridiculous. She wasn't so petty. And how many years had gone by since she left him at Paradise Tower; the orphanage where they had shared their lives? The paradise of hell? He pushed her forward and her hands slapped against the blue marble tiles of the bathroom wall. His rough actions broke her thoughts and she said nothing when he roughly took her but instead, moaned her approval at how forcefully he did.

It wasn't the scar, why she made Laxus her lover. She gasped and bit down hard on her lip to keep herself from screaming as his fingers dug into the skin of her hips, roughly pulling her back again and again. This, was why.

O.o.O.o


	3. Chapter (Two)

_**A/N: The next chapter to this JerZa project fanfiction. I was supposed to add this earlier in the week but I wanted to add more...and the more didn't come so I'll just work with what I have and work on the next chapter! Happy reading and remember to review ^-^/**_

_**O.o.O.o**_

Erza spent most of the day cleaning after Laxus had left. She took Killer, her dog, out for a walk and stopped at a pastry shop to buy herself a slice of strawberry shortcake. This was probably the first day since the entire ten days of her vacation that she had really allowed herself to relax. She had been itching to go back to work, had even asked Gran Doma (where the hell his parents got that name, she wasn't so sure) to cut her vacation time short but with a dull look and firm shake of his head, he had said no. She would have continued to argue with him if the threat of him extending that time hadn't lingered between them in his office.

Boredom was a pre-existing feeling at her apartment. She only slept and ate here. It wasn't a place she appreciated for its homely feel with its neutral tones, comfy sofas, fireplace and feng shui. It was that place to restore her spent energy from work. It was lonely here, which was why she had gone to the extent of getting a dog, the only thing in her life that seemed to make her forget how lonely she was. Not even Laxus was able to fill that particular void. She always ignored it, but there were times the feeing built on itself until it was almost unbearable. It was why she resorted to drinking on some days. Somehow, alcohol managed to remedy that feeling and numbed it from her conscious.

The television was on and she was absent-mindedly flipping through channels when her phone rang. The call went to the answering machine and when she heard the gruff baritone of Gran's voice, she scrambled for the phone. Her rapid footsteps padded against the carpeted floor as she ran for the cordless phone she had left in the kitchen. She managed to pick up as he was about to say goodbye.

"Gran, don't hang up. Sorry." She sounded out of breath from the short sprint to the kitchen.

"Scarlet? Are you busy?" He didn't even bother with formalities; the answering machine had gotten all of it.

"No, what happened?"

"I need you to come in. I've sent Laxus to pick you up."

She felt her heart could explode from the relief his words brought. "Okay. I'll be there." She hung up and used her fingers as a comb, running it through her hair to fix any stray strands. She was still in a pair of sweatpants and a yellow shirt, twice her size, with a bunny printed on the front. Out of uniform, Erza always wore big clothes. The usual reason she told people was that it was more comfortable, but truthfully, Erza felt protected in huge t-shirts and roomy pants. As a girl, growing up in Paradise Tower, she had started to do so to feel some odd level of security and it became a habit that stayed with her.

She heard the toot of a car horn and, knowing it was Laxus, she walked out the front door after setting the alarm system and putting Killer out in his kennel. She locked the door and jogged down the steps to Laxus' sports car. By the look of his grim features, which softened when he saw her, she could tell something bad had happened.

She got in and slammed the door and he pulled out the apartment driveway and shifted gears as he drove out the scheme.

"What happened?"

"They found the girl; the one who's been missing for a week."

"Dead?"

"Yeah."

"Where'd they find her."

"In Magnolia."

She turned to face him then but his eyes were focused on the road. He was dodging traffic, overtaking and almost ran the lights. Erza's expression could have been caused by his reckless driving but she was thinking about why the girl's body would end up in Magnolia.

"So she was kidnapped in Crocus and ended up dead in Magnolia?"

During his visits, Laxus had given her the pertinent facts of the recent kidnapping case. It was a recurring event; kidnappings that ended with the victims dead or barely able to make it after the trauma. Only one girl had survived but ended up committing suicide not even two days after her release from the facility she had been admitted to. That was three weeks ago. But all the cases had had something in common; wherever the girls were kidnapped, they were found somewhere around the location of the kidnapping.

At first, the killings weren't thought to have been carried out by the same person because it didn't happen in a timely sequence, nor did the girls have particular and common features that a serial killer would normally stick to. But the similarity in how each girl was executed put a stop to that opinion. Their throats were always slashed and some of them were found with a deep hole in their left breast. Erza had seen the pictures, had been to the morgue to view the bodies and each time, something had twisted inside her at the familiarity of knowing what some of that pain had felt like.

"Yeah. Gran thinks that's where the killer has moved to. First, the bodies started ending up in Balsam Village. Now Magnolia."

"Or maybe he's doing this to throw us off?"

"Maybe, but he's sending us to Magnolia to check things out."

"Us?" She looked at him sharply.

Laxus turned to look at her then as he pulled into the FIU underground parking lot. "Yes. Us."

Erza didn't show her annoyance but Laxus could pick up her displeasure with that news. He said nothing further about it but followed her to the elevator. She pressed the button for the fifth floor, where Gran's office was located and waited. She would have preferred going to Magnolia alone. This wasn't something she couldn't handle alone but Gran was the kind of chief who believed in team support – no matter how good a person was. There always needed to be a backup. But she would have liked someone else besides Laxus. In its own way, in spite of her not having feelings for him, she felt it would complicate things.

**O.o.O.o**


	4. Chapter (Three)

Chapter Three:

**A/N: This third chapter is LONG overdue. I've been having some issues with the writer's block but I've been doing some writing and getting over it slowly. I hope this chapter is satisfying. Enjoy reading o/**

When Doma stated that he would dispatch them to Magnolia, Erza's face fell flat though she tried to hide her displeasure behind an impassive gaze. Earlier when Laxus had informed her of this, all that had registered was that they would be in each other's company. Now, she had to face the fact that she would be returning to that place. She swallowed and beneath the table, her hands cushioned between her thighs, she laced her fingers together and squeezed in an attempt to calm herself down. She had had enough years to come to terms with her past and bury it beneath all the good experience and life she had come to have in Crocus. Closure was the only thing missing and returning to Magnolia was not going to provide that for her; staying away would, where the scars would not reopen.

The files that Doma dropped unceremoniously on the table made Erza jump, pulling her from reverie and she blinked up at him. He was studying her, with hard and scrutinizing dark eyes that were enough to make her visibly squirm. She lowered her eyes, as if feeling some unknown guilt for being distracted and pulled the spiral bound folder to her.

"The details of the cases are inside. Makarov has already been briefed that you'll be coming to the department. I'm counting on you both to find that buy and bring him down before he starts on the move again, and more people get hurt."

"Yes sir," Laxus responded, his tone matched the seriousness of his face. Erza's response didn't come as quickly as his. She flipped through the pages, a profile of each missing girl was documented, detailed descriptions of how they were found but on each page, there were no clues on who could have murdered them. Not a fingerprint, not a strand of hair found on the bodies. This person was smart and meticulous, and could have them running in circles if he so desired. All they had as a lead to something – anything – was his trail, and what if that too was just to play with them? It was a challenge that discouraged, rather than encouraged, Erza.

She closed the folder and finally looked up at Gran. "Is that all sir?"

He nodded and folded his hands on his table, "Scarlet, you are okay with this?" It wasn't an actual question.

"Yes sir," she replied, a lie that slipped easily from her lips while the honest answer remained locked within her mind. How could she speak the truth and face ridicule for her arbitrary reason to justify why she didn't want to set foot in Magnolia. It was petty. She was an officer, a soldier to them and herself. She had years to develop and to heal; to become fearless and strong. But her demons in Magnolia were not faced head-on, instead she had ran at the first opportunity. It made her a coward and that was something she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge.

"I'm fine sir," she assured, this time with an unwavering confidence to her tone that had been missing before.

Their eyes clashed, studied and silently argued, with Erza's assuring while Gran's were unbelieving, until finally he nodded and pushed back his chair; the wooden legs scraped against the polished, hardwood floor. "Alright then, you're free to go." He turned his back to them and went to help himself to a cup of coffee. Both Laxus and Erza stood at the same time, bowed to his turned back then walked out; Erza following behind Laxus.

She clutched the folder to her chest and for Laxus, that was his only sign that something bothered her. Her face was a stoic mask that gave away nothing and asked for nothing. Her lips were a tight line and her shoulders squared as though she were braced for something terrible. It was a scary look and she didn't spare him a glance, but kept her eyes forward. The atmosphere she created was palpable enough for Laxus and left him to only speculate if what caused her change in mood was the case or something more personal. He knew that asking her questions would only get him vague and annoyed responses.

When they got in the car and Laxus pulled out the garage and onto the road, en route to her house, he decided to ask if she would like anything to eat. It was just after five and the sky was still clear, though the sun was absent.

"Would you like to get something to eat?"

"I'm not really hungry."

Her tone was sharp and noncommittal, as he expected. "Alright then, so I should just take you home."

"Yes."

"Erza, if something-"

"Dreyar, just drive."

He glanced over at her. Her back was turned as much as possible to him, her face angled to the window and her eyes were fixed on the trees they drove by. When she was like this, he knew he wasn't to bother her and normally he wouldn't care about whatever affected her mood, but recently his concern for her grew. And it wasn't as easy to brush aside as it would have been had it been someone else.

"Okay."

When Laxus dropped her home, Erza went straight to her room to pack. She moved about mechanically, uncaring of how much she packed or of the things she threw into the travel bag. There was no music in her room to distract her thoughts and occupy her mind with its rhythm.

Her windows were shut, blocking out the sounds of distant traffic and the rustling of tree branches, tormented by the occasional winds; of frogs that croaked as if in conversation with the crickets. The only sound in her room was the ticking clock, its sound inordinately loud within the walled confines of her room.

Its stoic face and rigid hands provided her no comfort that the time she had now was a luxury, instead it mocked her without sympathy and refused to soften its tone.

Turning her gaze away, she sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her travel bag closer to check the contents within. She wasn't sure how long she would be in Magnolia but felt that she was probably packing too much. Sucking her bottom lip into her mouth, she looked down at the bag then pushed herself off the bed, leaving her room where the clock's taunts got to her.

She went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and took out a left over slice of strawberry shortcake. Its consistency was still fluffy and light; and the cream melted against her tongue. She chewed slowly and stared out the single kitchen window absentmindedly. The cake wasn't enough to distract her but it was still good enough to calm her nerves. She had nothing to be afraid of now. Her days at Paradise Tower were long over; they couldn't trap her there anymore or abuse her. She bit her lip and lowered the fork from her lips.

There was no time to fret about any of this. The past was to remain as it was, and she needed to keep moving forward. The case and finding the killer were her first and only priorities. Wrapping the cake back in the plastic, she placed it in the fridge and went to finish packing. After she was done, she switched off her bedside table lamp and rolled over in her bed, bringing the sheets up to her shoulders.

But she didn't sleep.

His face flashed across her memory, and she wondered if he was still there or if he had escaped? And if she saw him, she wondered if he would ever forgive her for leaving him behind?

O.o.O.o

**A/N2: You can tell me what you thought of the chapter and can also help with ideas along the way, I do take suggestions. **

** XxxJerza4EverxxX: This is a Jerza fanfiction, don't worry. The action between them will come soon, so I hope you keep reading :)**


	5. Chapter (Four)

_**A/N: Here is the fourth chapter. I had been losing inspiration for this story and had almost decided to abandon it but the messages I've received (especially from **AmnaK96) have really motivated me to continue this. This chapter actually didn't go as I had planned it but I've decided to keep the side character introduced in this chapter alive for plot purposes. Please enjoy and remember to leave your thoughts and opinions. I will really try to complete this story.**_

_**O.o.O.o**_

She could hardly breathe. The rancid scent of rotting flesh and stale death robbed her of the fresh air she desperately craved. With each inhale, her stomach shuddered and her body bowed over as she retched bile and saliva. The chains that bound her hands and feet rustled against the cement floor with her movements. Her skin was splotched by dirt; the thick mass of her blond hair was a tangled and matted mess around her tear-stained face.

How many days had gone by since she had been trapped here?

In some distant realm, she had lead a normal life as an A student; living up to her parents' expectations, sheltered from the cruelty of the world and untouched by a man's caress. That life seemed a mere illusion against the reality she was now prisoner to.

There were no windows in this room that helped her to discern whether it was night or day, no natural light but candles that burned with flickering flames, flinging shadows about the room.

Disembodied limbs were scattered. There were stains of blood – dried and stale – everywhere. She saw roaches and rats dart out from the shadows then disappear, as if they pleasured in frightening her each time. There was a table made of stone in the center of the room. An altar, maybe? This room seemed too much like an underground ritual base for her not to think of the table as such.

She swallowed hard, her heart throbbing from the fear of her unknown death. Was she going to be left here to rot? Her throat was sore from all her screaming since the night she was brought here, so much so that she had coughed up blood the night before.

Her memories of that moment were all a blur but she remembered the charming face of a man with hair, the color of the sky. She had been mesmerized by it, because the color seemed to be natural rather than dyed. His brown eyes too. She recalled how conflicted those eyes had been even as he had smiled. He had lured her. And there had been a woman. But there was nothing gentle, or remotely caring about her. Cold black eyes and a set jaw. A cruel smile and a blow to her head. Then here. She was trapped here, to spend the last moments of her life.

She was too young to die. There was so much she wanted to do. She wanted to travel the earth and write poetry, to spend some of her lifetime in a cave, in the distant mountains just for the experience. She wanted to live in the forest - to have that soul-searching journey where she discovered herself as a whole being and became enlightened. She had it all planned out, so why? Why wasn't she being given the opportunity to live her life? What did she do wrong?

There was only one time she had ever done something bad. When she was six and had stolen a pack of gum from a street vendor. But she had apologized, after her mother had dragged her right back to the old lady and made her say she was sorry.

With a crooked smile – a few teeth missing - the lady had forgiven her, so why then? Why did she have to suffer this way; not knowing when she'd die or how? She choked on her sob and looked down at her hands. They were so pale and the cuticles of her fingers were so dirty. She looked at her wrists, at the veins beneath the thin skin. Her mouth twitched and her chest tightened at the thought that crossed her mind.

Her throat constricted though she took a deep breath. She wanted to be free. Whatever pain she had to put herself through would be minor and temporary to the eternal freedom she would give herself.

She lifted her wrist to her lips that trembled from the thought of pain then her mouth opened slowly. Her jaw was forced to widen and her teeth closed around the skin and bit into the flesh as hard as she could at first. Her cry echoed off the walls from the slight pain she caused herself. At first she couldn't do it, she bit hard enough to cause herself pain but didn't tear the flesh. Her next bite sank in and tore. She screamed out as her blood poured on her lips. Her stomach shuddered and she wretched violently as the taste of her own blood slid down her throat.

Tears burnt at the backs of her eyes and spilled over as she continued tearing into the flesh. Somehow she started to feel numb and her involuntary will to scream as the pain intensified left her though her teeth ripped through the ulnar artery.

Blood splattered over her face and there was a sob, in some distant part of her mind. There was regret. Maybe she should have waited for that woman to come back. She didn't want to die. She wanted to fix this. To take away the pain that ceased her thoughts and body. She fell over onto her side as her body became weak.

She didn't hear the man's shout but she did see his face as he rushed over to her and pulled her to him, frantic in his desperation to help her. At least that's what she thought. She wondered why a man, who didn't seem that much older than her, with such a gentle face…would be caught up with a woman, who had eyes of stone?

A tear leaked from the corner of her eye. She didn't know him yet, there was so much she wanted to ask him.

* * *

Magnolia appeared to have developed over the years since Erza had left the city. She expected it but not in this way; that it would transform without a trace of evidence that this city had once been ridden by poverty and suffering. There had only been a small few that had been affluent in the area, there lands guarded by forts of iron and stone walls that had amazed Erza during her childhood when she would run away from Paradise Tower.

Most of the buildings were large and elegant, following a mixture of Victorian and Georgian designs. Though things seemed to have changed, the polished city wouldn't be enough to bury the crude and dark memories. Laxus' shift in her lap made her look down at the rousing man. A nerve ticked in her jaw as the outline of his drool on her right pant leg caught her eye.

When the train had started Laxus had become uncomfortable due to his motion sickness and without warning, Erza had given him a swift and hard punch to the gut that probably may have ruptured some of his internal organs. The attack had knocked him out cold – to her advantage – leaving her to relish the silence for most of the trip. Now that they were finally nearing their stop, he was waking.

She lifted her hand from his head, which she had absentmindedly been rubbing in light and slow circles, and watched him as he sat up, leaning his head back against the seat. His eyes were slightly red, the lids heavy as he blinked her into focus then glanced out the window.

"We're in Magnolia?" his voice dipped an octave and he licked his lips, stifling a yawn as he stretched beside her.

"Yes."

"I was having a dream, y'know."

Erza blinked at him, her expression clear in question of how that had anything to do with her.

"It was about you."

"Be quiet." She turned away from him, hiding her smile when she heard him chuckle. There was never an opportunity Laxus didn't seize just to tease Erza for the reactions she usually gave him; excluding her moments of extreme isolation. Erza didn't mind entertaining him today, especially considering the fact that she would need the distraction from her thoughts. But she had no reason to be so fearful, returning here. Things had changed and were different now.

The train finally slowed to a stop and Erza sat and waited until everyone left to finally stand and take her bags from Laxus, though he insisted on carrying them. They walked out onto the cobblestone pavement and she looked around for a moment, taking in the atmosphere – and how it paled in contrast to the melancholy of the past. The sun was high in the sky but the temperature was slightly cool. The air was refreshing and there was this blend of aromas that overwhelmed and frightened her. She wondered if Paradise Tower was still here, if it had also changed with time. Had those children from the past find families or had they wasted away?

"Erza!"

Her head jerked around in the direction where her name was called and jogged over to Laxus who waited for her by the cab he hailed. He helped her stuff her luggage in the trunk and she got in on the left side of the back seat, while he got in on the other side.

"You okay?" he asked, a brow raised.

"Yeah…yeah." She looked out the window again, observed the unfamiliar faces and how contented they appeared. Magnolia's past seemed nonexistent. Maybe she could do this. Maybe this was a good idea. Maybe she could finally get the closure she needed and leave Magnolia for good after all this was done.

* * *

She was sure she had died. Had her will to live outweigh her desperation to die?

This room was different but still the same. A single candle on the night table beside the bed she rested on illuminated the otherwise dark room. There was a window but it was tightly sealed and planks of wood were nailed over it. The cracks of light that got in were barely enough and hardly supported the candle light. There was nothing else in this room but the bed, a chair beside it and the night table to her right.

Her eyes traveled down to her wrists, the left bandaged and the evidence of blood stained the gauze. Fatigue made her barely capable of keeping her eyes open and her body heavy. Her stomach felt so empty but her need for food was secondary to her need for water. Any sound she made only came out as a struggling and incoherent croak.

The door opened and she looked down her nose as the shadow walked into the orange light. It was him. A tray with a plate of food and cup was in his hands. He walked over to her and sat on the chair.

"Can you sit up?"

She looked at him and struggled to speak again then gave up. He frowned and placed the tray on the night table, then leaned over her to assist her. She grunted with her effort to help herself and he set the pillow behind her back for support. He sat back down and took the bowl in his hands then started to spoon feed her the contents.

It was soup and though it was bland, it tasted so good that she accepted each spoonful and gladly swallowed. The silence was filled by her slurping and chewing, his soft exhales as he cooled the soup for her and the clank of the spoon against the ceramic bowl as he fed her.

Each spoonful gave her renewed strength and revived her consciousness, and as he fed her the last spoonful, she licked her lips and looked up at him – no longer needing anymore. He offered it to her again but she angled her head back though her eyes stayed locked on his.

"Will you let me go?" she asked.

That look of misery she had become familiar with, after just witnessing it once, was back. He dropped his gaze from hers and was silent for awhile. She wanted to be able to read his mind.

"I can't."

The words he spoke denied her the response she expected. Confused, her eyes darted over his face, searching for some explanation.

"Why did you help me then?"

"You can't die. Not yet."

"What? No. Why are you doing this? Help me." Her voice was breaking and when he finally lifted his gaze to hers, she saw the look reflected. Tears glistened and she heard the slightest whisper of apology. Then his eyes were not his own, becoming hard and piercing her with an unsympathetic gaze as he took hold of her and carried her back to that room. He was unmoved and unyielding as she kicked and screamed, trying to reach out to the soul that retracted into this unfamiliar being.

**O.o.O.o**


	6. Chapter (Five)

_**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I'm hoping you enjoy it (and again, shoutout to AmnaK96** for your support! You're great ^^)**_

_**O.o.O.o**_

"Lucy Heartfilia," Makarov said, as he dropped the missing case file on the desk before Erza. The chief was a short, old man with hard and beady black eyes and a rough jaw. His face was ridden with wrinkles and gullies that showed he'd been through a lot. But it was his eyes and strength that boasted his youthful vivacity. He was already past the retirement age but was kept on duty because of his stubborn will and refusal to step down from his post. The only thing that would remove him from his chair was if he were to die. He was a radical and persistent man like that, someone who Erza admired and owed her life to for saving her from that hell paradise.

She frowned though as the last name ran through her mind, the sound of it familiar. A distant memory tried to push itself from the deeper parts of her mind but wasn't yet successful. She opened the file and saw the photo of a young girl, a beautiful one at that. She had long and thick blonde hair that flowed over her shoulders and a pair of glistening blue eyes that complemented her charming toothy grin. She didn't seem more than sixteen...

Erza glanced to her age and her heart sank. She was just fifteen.

"Heartfilia," she murmured then repeated the name as the memory finally cleared through the foggy recesses of her past.

"You know the name?" Makarov asked with a scowl on his face.

She opened her mouth to lie but nodded instead. "I remember hearing it, when I was younger." That was all she was willing to give him for now. The Heartfilias had been a prominent family when she was younger and she remembered that the father had made one of the biggest donations to the orphanage. She had been one of the selected few to thank him for his generous contribution. The man had grinned at her, squatted to her size and ruffled her hair. It had taken everything in her to ignore the pain that racked her small body and force a smile.

"How long has she been missing now?" she asked, shaking off the memory and closing the file as she met Makarov's thoughtful gaze.

"It's been a week now."

Her brows shot up at that, "A week?"

Makarov nodded, eyes narrowed with his grave expression and his hands steepled together at his chin. It seemed he was thinking the same as Erza, that they hadn't too long to wait to hear the report of her corpse being found.

"Funny enough, it wasn't her father that reported she was missing."

"No?" The man had seemed a doting kind of father in the past. Though he was a towering and burly man with sharp eyes and a moustache, and near seemed like an ogre to Erza when she was smaller, she felt he was compassionate. A compassionate man, oblivious to the horrors of the place he had donated so much money to. Or was his niceness just a facade? _No_. Now wasn't the time to dig up bitter assumptions and memories.

"It was the girl's mother. She was real worried for her daughter. It was after the third day that she finally called."

"Why wait so long?" Erza asked with a frown.

"Apparently Lucy is a bit of a problem child. She usually runs away from home and never returns 'til days later."

What exactly could Lucy be running away from? She was born into an affluent family; no doubt they spoiled her and never made her want for anything. Was she just at that rebellious stage of her life or did she not appreciate the things given her? If it was Erza, she'd never run from home.

"But a lot of kidnappings have been going on now. Didn't her father consider that?"

"He's an impervious sort of man. He doesn't think that she's been kidnapped since he hasn't received any calls for ransom."

Erza fought the urge to roll her eyes at the man's hardness. Was he not seeing the news? This criminal didn't want money, he was into something far more grotesque; a sickly pleasure that money couldn't give. Or did he really not care for the whereabouts of his daughter, even if she constantly ran away? She couldn't believe that. The girl in the picture would most definitely be the apple of her dad's eye; his pride and joy.

"Does he have other children?"

Makarov shook his head and nodded at Erza's baffled expression. "It makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

"All we can do is try to find her."

"I brought in two of her closest friends, some kids named Gray and Natsu. They're a rowdy set of boys, I can't imagine someone as delicate as her being friends with those delinquents. I noticed their similar tattoos."

"Gangbangers?" Erza asked, her arched brow rose in curiosity. The sweet girl in the picture hung with gangbangers?

"They're good kids but they've got in their fair share of fights. I've parted them on few occasions."

Erza didn't really think she could put good and gangbangers together in the same sentence. But she would take Makarov's word for it since this was his district and he knew the inner workings.

"What did they have to say?"

"They had been with her the day before she was taken. They've sworn to find the man and kill him when they do."

She snorted at that, finding it slightly admirable that they wanted to act like heroes for their friend but she could understand that feeling. While cops were never to play hero, she still always had that feeling of wanting to protect.

"If they do come up on anything though, I told them to give me a call. I know those kids; they'll do the right thing."

"I hope so, what with them already threatening to kill the man. They may want to play cops all by themselves and carry out justice on their own terms."

"Maybe," Makarov chuckled but he knew those boys. Natsu and Gray were fairly good and gentle at heart. Their tempers were trigger happy but they did what they had to, to protect those they cared deeply for. He would have told Erza the small fact that Natsu had a kitten that he took care of but that was trivial information.

"How've you been? Where's Laxus? I thought he'd be coming in with you today."

"I told him I'd take care of things today and he's still not feeling too well after the train ride here. So I told him to stay at the inn and sleep it off."

"Such a big man battling with motion sickness," Makarov guffawed at that. "He's still not half the man he appears to be."

Erza nodded at that and chuckled, "He can be a big baby."

"It's really good to see you though. I can't believe it took something of this nature to get you to finally come and see me again." Makarov smiled tenderly at her the way a guardian would as he took in her entire presence. "You've really grown."

A sheepish smile came to her face, "I'm really sorry it took me this long."

"It's okay, we all need time to heal. I just hope everything is okay now and being here isn't as uncomfortable for you now as it had been then."

Makarov only knew bits of her past. But the bits he'd been able to grasp was enough to piece the bigger picture together and know the horrors of what Erza had faced in that orphanage. While he didn't know the extreme gravity of it, he knew that she had suffered greatly there. The scars and welts on her skin, her swollen and bruised eyes and the cuts had been testaments enough. It was some time after he had taken her in that the orphanage had been demolished but parts of the building still remained. It was like a monument; one that sent a chill down the spine if you knew what had happened there as you walked by the lot.

She nodded silently and thanked him mentally that he didn't prod her for specific answers. He understood her and knew that she had needed time to come to terms with her past. It frustrated her that she still felt shackled by it but she was making a step forward out of the fear that had crippled her. She would be able to face all of it head on...

At least she was hoping she would be able to.

"Would you like some coffee? A drink or some water? You must be thirsty." Makarov moved around his desk to the small counter by the door to pour himself more coffee in his ceramic mug.

Erza watched him as he walked, smiling at his slight waddle. It amused her as much now as it had in the past. "No thanks. I'm fine. I had something to eat before I got here."

"You've grown out of the weight you had put on back at my place. You were so stick thin and pale, I had to fat you up."

Erza laughed at that memory. Makarov really had dedicated his time to making her delicious meals that she could never get enough of. She really had been plump then but once she started school, she began dropping the weight and more so when she started her police training then was recruited to the force in Crocus.

"You have really grown...well, I think I've kept you long enough. You must want to return to the inn and get some sleep."

"Start working, you mean."

Makarov smiled. He had always loved her dedicated edge and he nodded. While he was doubtful that Erza would really find anything useful that would set her on the track to finding Lucy, he still believed she would discover something useful because that was how thorough Erza was. She left nothing to chance.

"Well you know the drill, call me if you find anything."

She nodded as she pushed back her chair, the wooden legs scraping the floor as she stood to her feet. "I will. Enjoy the rest of your day and I'll check back in, in the morning."

Makarov nodded as she walked to the door and returned to his work as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

Erza should have been making her rounds in the town square and village, to drill the citizens with the usual questions. If they had seen anyone suspicious, when they had last seen Lucy, if they knew of any other girls who had recently gone missing? But instead, she found herself wandering down the familiar district where Paradise Tower was...or had been...

She wondered if it was still there, further she questioned her purpose for even straying on this path.

It was her curiosity that led her steps and subconsciously persuaded her to come this way. Probably she should have just asked Makarov about the place but even if he had, she still would have come here.

She paused when she saw the familiar iron gates. Thick vines curled themselves around the rusted, dark gates and the foundation was thickly covered with tall weeds and wild flowers. Erza was slightly surprised there was no real feeling inside her at the sight of this place.

It was in ruins. Only parts of the wall still stood, paint peeled from its rough and mouldy surface. The outside bench was still there, vines curled about it like intertwining veins. A chain-link fence and barbed wires secured the property as if no one was allowed within the gates.

Instead of bitter memories, she sadly thought of all the children who must had withered away here, with no hope of rescue or salvation. Had he too withered away? He had suffered so much.

It was well beyond dusk and this district was one of the lonelier parts of Magnolia, mostly traversed by thugs, prostitutes and stray animals in search of their night's meal. Her gun was tucked in the holster at the waistband of her pants but even without it, she would still feel safe.

She reached in and lifted the piece of iron tied to the gates that kept it locked. Opening the gate, she squeezed through and the weeds rustled against the fabric of her pants. Each step she took stirred a memory and it became vivid before her, as if her life played before her eyes. Memories of her playing with the other children, of her running from the Mother, of hiding in the trees, in the closets, breaking her leg and crying; being dragged back inside the orphanage – her nails breaking as she had clawed at the pathway.

Her eyes squeezed shut tight, wanting to physically shut out the darker memories that scathed her. She went to the bench and tore at the veins that covered the seat then sat.

She looked about her and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the fresh earth and of the different aromas that the flowers raised. The cool, evening air enveloped her and for the first time, she felt comforted in this atmosphere.

Wild flowers grew at her feet and she leaned down to tug at the stem of one of the flowers. She marveled at how something so beautiful could spring up from a foundation of a place so dark and evil. The blood of many children had soaked into these very grounds.

She gently rubbed the petal between her fingers and smiled at the soft, rubbery feel while confused at the odd sense of calm it brought.

The faint sound of footsteps that disturbed her peace made her look up sharply. The cloaked figure that shifted in the growing darkness caught her attention and she sprang to her feet, her hand resting on the holster clipped to her waistband.

"Stop!" she ordered and the person obeyed, back still turned. The hood covered the individual's face but from the height and build, Erza surmised it was a man. She found his presence here suspicious, though she was none the wiser to be in such a lonely place.

Probably he was just a homeless man who was taking refuge here, and if that was the case then she'd feel stupid. But there was still a possibility that this person was the killer, no matter how small that chance was. Everyone was a suspect. What would he be doing in a place such as this though? Did he have a past here? She swallowed as she came closer, unsure why a sudden wave of anxiety rolled over her.

"Turn around. Hands raised. Who are you?"

She didn't pull her gun but still rested her hand on the rubber grip. The person turned slowly with his palms up and out in surrender and Erza felt her mouth go instantly dry. She dropped her hand from the holster and stared at him. Golden brown eyes stared back, aloof and wondering. He didn't seem to recognize her at first.

No, she was imagining things. This couldn't be him. What sort of twisted fate would bring them back together in this place? Right here...where their lives had started and had seemed doomed to end? Where she had abandoned him?

The wind whipped up around them and her hair blew across her face. He seemed mesmerized by the red tresses and that was when his eyes widened. He gripped his hood and lowered it from his face and she could see the blue tint of his hair. _It was him._

"Red...?" he muttered, an edge of disbelief to his voice.

She flinched at the nickname, his personal nickname for her. She felt a scary urge to run to him and hug him – to weep into his neck – but uncertainty coupled with shock, glued her to where she stood. She opened her mouth to say his name but no sound came out except expelled breath.

She saw the scar that marred the skin over his right eye, just like Laxus but the skin of it was red and not as Laxus' which blended with his complexion. He still looked gentle and had matured into a handsome man, as she knew he would have when they were younger. He was tall and had a smooth and angular face with a straight nose and full lips. Even beneath his cloak she could tell he was firm and lean with muscle.

Did he forgive her for leaving him, after all those years? Did he resent her? But the eyes that watched her didn't shimmer with malicious feelings. He took a step forward and she took one back, which made him frown.

About to say something, she jumped when her phone cut the silence that had become thick and awkward between them. She answered quickly, though her voice came out as an unsure squeak.

"Hello?"

"Erza? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What is it?" She glanced up to her childhood friend, who was still watching her, a knit between his brows.

"We found her. We found Lucy."

A sense of dread filled her, almost choked her where she stood. "Dead or alive?"

It seemed like an eternity's silence before Laxus finally answered.

"Alive."

**O.o.O.o**


	7. Chapter (Six)

_**A/N: I don't want to say anything but I read some fanfiction over the weekend which motivated me (after such a long time) to update. I do apologize for the snail pace updates but I am trying. And thanks to all of you that are still sticking around to read. This is a long chapter, there's also some bonus Laxus x Erza at the end, for those who wanted more of them. I hope you enjoy**_

Erza's headspace was not occupied with the right thoughts and she was forcing herself to filter out everything that had nothing to do with the matter at hand. But as she got closer to the steps leading up to the Magnolia Police division, images of Jellal were hard pressed to leave her mind. She shoved open the swinging door with more force than was needed; her physical attempt to get herself in the right frame of mind to face her partner and Lucy. Laxus would know if something was wrong and he would have no problems taking over the interrogation if he realized soon enough that Erza was not capable. That was something she didn't want. She wanted to handle this because for some reason she felt obligated to handle the brunt of this case on her own.

She slapped her cheeks hard, gaining the unwanted suspicious, concerned and judgmental stares from some of the officers and civilians inside the foyer. The sting her palms caused was a lot more effective than her just willing herself to stop thinking about what had just happened. Quickly, she crossed the area and started up the stairs to Makarov's office, taking the steps by two's and then three's, almost tripping over her own feet.

Reaching his door, she knocked first then opened the door, giving the room a cursory glance for the girl in question before meeting Makarov's eyes. He opened his mouth and Erza knew what question was coming so she beat him to that with one of her own.

"Where is she?"

"Laxus has her outside the interrogation room. He's been waiting for you; her parents are there as well."

She nodded and left. She knew they weren't waiting for long, though it had taken her some time to get back to the office. Ten minutes, maybe. But probably that was long enough for her parents, especially Lucy, whom Erza was sure just wanted to go home and curl in her bed and forget everything that had happened.

Down the corridor, she saw them towards the end, facing the door to the interrogation room and Laxus looked up when he heard her nearing footsteps. He gave her a relieved look then stood to his feet, giving Erza view of the girl, a thick blanket was round her shoulders and she was huddled against her mother.

"I'm sorry for being a bit late, I'm Officer Scarlet but you can call me Erza," she extended her hand to Mrs. Heartfilia. The woman's eyes were watery, her cheeks streaked with dried tears that slightly marred her make-up. She shook Erza's hand and Erza took note of how soft and delicate it felt.

She turned to the father and swallowed. He was looking at her intently and curiously, his golden eyes focused and unwavering. Erza felt a small chill zip down her spine and hesitated only a second before offering him her hand also for a shake. His hand took hers in a firm squeeze and she almost winced, almost opened herself up to the memory of that same hand around her throat.

Forcing an amicable smile, she pulled her hand from his and it nearly looked as if his memory cleared as to who she was. But if he really did remember, he made no obvious sign of that.

However, there was no room for Erza to feel any resentment towards the man. Instead, she focused on Lucy.

"Lucy? We're ready for you now. We'll just ask you a few questions and then you can go home with your parents, alright?"

She looked up at Erza beneath her wet and clumpy lashes. Her eyes were swollen from crying and so red, Erza almost reached out to her. She nodded and sniffled, slowly disengaged herself from her mother and stood. Her feet were bare and dirty, all of her was dirty and Erza knew she must feel uncomfortable standing here.

"Come," she opened the door and allowed Lucy to walk ahead of her and spick any of the two folding chairs at the lone table inside the room. She glanced back at Laxus.

"I'll handle this," she muttered to Laxus, who understood completely.

"He can come in..."

Erza paused and turned to look at Lucy, "Are you sure you're okay with him inside?" She wasn't sure what had happened to Lucy but usually, the girls brought in for questioning were most times never comfortable to have a male officer sit in during the interrogation if certain things had happened to them. And Erza was almost positive that would be included.

"Yes." Her voice was so soft and barely coherent but there was still some bit of clarity for Erza to know Lucy was certain that Laxus would not be a distraction.

"Alright."

Laxus entered the room and closed the door. There was one another chair, folded and propped against the wall, and Laxus went for it then unfolded it beside Erza's chair. They both sat after Lucy and Erza took her small notebook from her pocket and Laxus handed her a pen, realizing she didn't have one.

"Okay, so first. What is your name?"

"Lucy Heartfilia."

Erza wrote that down, "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"When were you taken?"

She paused and rubbed her arm then shook her head, "I...really don't remember but I felt I've been there forever..."

"What happened while you were there?"

Lucy took a deep breath and tossed the dishevelled curls from her face. By the up and down motion of her arms, Erza knew she was rubbing her thighs, comforting herself.

"I was chained up in this underground place, like a cell. There was blood and bones...and roaches. Rats. She was going to kill me."

Laxus and Erza exchanged discreet glances at that piece of information. Neither was expecting the offender to be a 'she'.

"Why did she want to kill you?"

Lucy shook her head, "I don't...I've never seen her. I don't know her, I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything wrong." Her voice wavered and Erza knew she was maybe seconds away from breaking down again.

"How did you escape?"

"I ran. I just kept running. I think _he_ helped me."

"He?"

Lucy nodded, "He works with her but...I don't think he's a bad person," she said and wiped at her runny nose.

"What does he look like?"

Lucy licked her lips, wiping the back of her hand on the blanket. "There's not much to remember, it was always dark but he had a scar-"

Erza's hand paused abruptly and she glanced up at Lucy, who was pointing to her left eye.

"-across his eye, a bit like yours," she said this to Laxus. "But it's red, the skin doesn't look as healed as yours. It almost looks like an odd tattoo."

There was a lapse of silence before Erza spoke up, her voice slightly hoarse. "What color was his hair?"

Laxus looked at Erza, frowning at the question but she paid no attention to him, all her focus was on Lucy.

"I...don't know. It looks black but..." she trailed off, remembering him in the candlelight and the blue hue, "blue...it kind of looked blue..."

Erza forced herself to remain composed and wrote that down.

"What about the woman?" Laxus asked a question of his own. "Do you remember what she looks like?"

Lucy shook her head and her chest heaved, "No." Everything about that woman was shrouded in darkness. All she remembered now was her long dark hair and vague details of her face. Maybe if the officers didn't question her, she would recall nothing of that woman being there.

"She has long dark hair..."

Laxus nodded and glanced over at Erza, who obviously seemed far off. "Erza?" he nudged her side and she jolted to attention, glancing between the two. "Do you have anything further to ask Lucy?"

"No...no. I'm sorry." To her chagrin, she had done exactly what she didn't want to do; make Laxus realize that something was probably off. "Thank you so much for cooperating with us."

It was then she realized that there had been no recounting of rape and it brought her such relief. _He wasn't a rapist...but maybe he was an accomplice to a murderer_.

They guided Lucy out the room and both her parents stood, her mother took her right back into her arms.

"Everything's alright but take her to the doctor and have her checked."

"We already know that," Mr. Heartfilia quipped.

Erza looked up at him, her expression slightly apologetic. "Right...thank you for your cooperation. If she remembers anything else, please let us know." Though Erza felt that Lucy recalled most of what had happened, and that was a bit surprising.

"We will," Mrs. Heartfilia promised and they left afterwards.

Erza ran her fingers through her hair, "I'm so happy that nothing worse happened to her. She's a sweet girl and she's their only child."

"Yeah...Erza-"

"I'm tired," she stretched her arms above her head, her back arched and then she relaxed. "I'll report to Makarov and then head back to the inn. You don't have to wait for me." She walked away without waiting for his response. She already knew what would he was going to say if she allowed it. And she wasn't going to give him the opportunity to pry so she would evade the issue as much as she needed to.

* * *

The day had felt extremely long, and it was solely the fault of her uncanny reunion. Somehow, she felt it didn't really happen, that maybe she had been hallucinating or had fallen asleep. But the memory was so vivid, almost tangible, that it was impossible for her to write it off as a moment of pure madness.

Sighing, she sunk further in the bathwater until her nose was hidden by the bubbles. And now, she had harder facts to digest; like the fact that Jellal was maybe a partner in crime, or even a murderer. What if he had done something to alter Lucy's memories? No, he wouldn't do something like that. What if he had murdered those girls before taking Lucy? No...NO. Jellal would never harm anyone. Lucy had said it herself that he had probably been the one to help her escape.

Erza pressed her hands to her face and rubbed at her eyes, almost digging too deep in the sockets. The confusion was setting in already, the battle between her objectivity and personal feelings. She lashed out by kicking her foot, water sloshed over onto the floor and rippled madly about her until it calmed. Anything but this...anything but this. She sank further, completely submerged in the water.

When she couldn't hold her breath for much longer, she came back up then drained the water and rinsed herself clean. That long, warm soak helped to calm her nerves but there was still a burden in her chest that she would try to ignore as the night went on.

Wrapped in a towel, she walked into the room and found Laxus lounging on his bed. They had reserved a two bed room suite at the Magnolia Inn. There weren't many furnishings, but what was necessary for convenience and cozy appeal; a small dressing table with a chair, night tables by each bed and two standing lamps. A flat screen television hung on the wall facing the foot of their beds and there a mini freezer was on Erza's side of the room.

"I told you not to come back until the next hour."

"Was tired," Laxus said with a one-shouldered shrug, "plus there was nothing to do outside."

"Make friends."

"I have enough."

"Have drinks."

"I plan to do that with you."

Erza gave him a dull look then returned to rummaging through her duffel bag for underwear and an oversized tee.

"Don't look at me that way. I'm doing it as a favour, you look like you could use a drink."

"I'd rather wine than the harsh stuff you drink."

Laxus smirked. He knew Erza had a more refined taste, which came as a bit of surprise since she was so rough around the edges and just like one of the guys. It was actually her taste in wine that made him remember she really was soft and feminine. She hardly had cute ways about her but that was fine, he didn't like her for what made her cute.

He got up and turned his back slightly, affording her some privacy while he got the gin ready. He tugged the cork from the bottle and poured the spirit in two small rum glasses, both half full.

As she came over, he offered her one and she took it. "Thanks," she muttered as she sat, cross-legged on her bed. She tossed back the gin and shuddered at the sharp bite of it. It burned all the way down her throat and she almost felt an urge to throw up – she reacted the same way with rum.

"God," she groaned and coughed a little. There was an almost instant dizzying effect and she held out her glass for more. Like all liquors, gin definitely had an acquired taste and she hated the harsher liquors but this was right up her alley of what she needed. It was better than smoking, which she had quit a long time ago.

Laxus grinned, "What were you saying, about not liking my type of drinks?"

"Just shut up and pour."

He chuckled and leaned forward to do so. Erza relaxed in her position again and downed her second glass in two, quick swallows. She shuddered again but not as violently as the first time. This was good; it really had that numbing effect she was looking for.

"More?" Laxus asked.

"Mmm." Instead of extending her glass, she left her bed and climbed unto Laxus' then held out her glass. "I like it."

"Obviously," he said with a smile while he poured. This time she took it almost to the brim then began gulping it down.

Laxus watched her silently, his own drink forgotten on the night table and when she extended her glass a fourth time, he lowered the bottle.

"What's wrong?"

Erza blinked at him, "What do you mean?"

He turned away for a second to set the bottle down on the night table then returned his attention to her.

"Today during the interrogation, you seemed distracted. When Lucy mentioned a scar, that seemed familiar to you. You almost looked pale."

Erza shrugged, "It did remind me of something," she offered noncommittally.

"Something or someone?"

She clicked her tongue and shook her head, "It has nothing to do with you Laxus." She preferred when he was stupid than perceptive. But he was a lot sharper than he was dumb, and Erza absolutely hated giving him credit for that.

"We're partners, Erza-"

"That doesn't mean anything," she cut in harshly.

For the first time, she thought she truly offended him by the way his eyes went from incredulous, to hurt, to almost unreadable.

Neither said nothing for awhile, there was just silence until Laxus shifted on the bed and cleared his throat. "I'm going to bed."

About to turn out the lamplight, Laxus paused when he felt Erza's hand on his arm, slowly pulling him around to face her. He could hardly tell what she was thinking but he knew she was holding something back from him. Her gaze dropped to his lips then back to his eyes. She was close but said nothing; neither did she do anything further.

He swallowed and leaned in; swaying closer as if tugged by a magnetic force and Erza closed the gap. She pulled his tongue into her mouth and ran her hand beneath his shirt, her fingers tracing over the contours of his abs then up over her chest, scratching at his nipple.

She was using sex to her advantage and Laxus knew that. Even if they indulged their sexual desires together, he knew when Erza was taking advantage of the hold she had over him. And he let her do it because he wanted her to.

She pushed him onto his back and straddled him while she pulled her shirt over her head then tossed it aside; exposing herself to him and his hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs rubbing her nipples. He sat up to suck each into his mouth and she rubbed against him, grinding against the bulge in his sweatpants. His heavy breathing mixed with her soft moans and whimpers, and he slipped one hand down into her panties, cupping her damp sex and he played with the protuberance of flesh, causing her to thrust her hips and moan louder.

She pulled his erection free from his pants then pushed her underwear down and off her legs. Without hesitation, she positioned herself above him then sank down. His groan echoed her moan and his hands smoothed down her back to squeeze her hips as she rocked back and forth.

Their motion started slowly until his rough thrusting picked up speed and Erza kept up with him; her arms wrapped tight around his neck as they moved together. There was desperation to her movements and to Laxus, her moans almost sounded like sobs...as if she really was crying. He guided her lips to his, his head arched as he kissed her to muffle her cries. His thumb swiped her cheek and came away dry. It was all in his head, then?

They came together, fast and hard and panting against each other. Her lips were lax against his and she could barely return his kiss as her spasms subsided. She looked down at him and touched her fingers to his scar then down his face.

She didn't say it but Laxus could tell by the soft look in her eyes, that she was apologizing for what she had said earlier. But it was easy for him to forgive Erza, even if she didn't show any bit of remorse for what had been said.

She slid off him and got up to get her shirt from the floor and her underwear. Laxus said nothing, he knew he wasn't supposed to. So when she settled into bed, and the rustling of her sheets stopped, he turned out the light and went to bed.

O.o.O.o


	8. Chapter (Seven)

_**A/N: UPDATE! For some reason, I don't want to give up on this story and I'm happy that I initially went with the plan to share this story in the first place because it's something I want to see through to the end. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Maybe I jumped the gun in a few parts but this was how the story flowed for me while I typed it at work. **_

His desperate and anguished scream could wake the dead from eternal slumber and have them roll in agony in their graves. His Adam's apple quivered against his throat, the veins in his neck bulged; the pattern imprinted like tightly spun webs against the damp skin. His vision blurred and no matter how many times he tried to blink everything into focus, darkness only encroached. As the pain subsided minimally, his restrained body slumped forward like a huge weight had been removed from his shoulders. His breaths were hushed shivers and saliva mixed with blood, drained from his dry lips onto the stone floor.

Pain and punishment weren't new to Jellal. Both were so integrated in his life that he had come to accept it as the natural order of things. He was made to be punished and feel agony from the moment he was born; his mother had abandoned him and he had never known his father. But he wasn't as accustomed to it as its constant recurrence should have made him; there was only so much of it he could numb himself towards. He had no right to want it to end but there had been so many times he had bawled and wished bitterly that it would just all stop. But those prayers had become silent on his lips, whatever slight glimmers of hope that eluded him, had been snuffed out by his dark reality. His childlike innocence and optimism had long been corroded and whatever bit of it that remained had been destroyed in that orphanage. And there was no room for hope in this place either.

He thought he had finally escaped that miserable prison, painted white and yellow with designs of pretty flowers and smiling stick children, arm in arm with each other to purport a merry paradise that could not be found within its walls, and found refuge in Ultear's arms. But as his dull, honey gaze tiredly lifted to meet the icy silver daggers that bore right into him, he knew that he had miscalculated. She was just the same as the faux design of that place, with her beautiful face – now turned ugly with contempt – and her comforting ways that easily made a fool of him. She reminded him that he still had the countenance of a child, eagerly clinging to whatever made him feel comfortably dependent and safe. He hadn't learned his lesson; he was still naïve and every bit vulnerable now, as he had been then.

"Look what you made me do to you. Do you think I enjoy hurting you?" she asked, vexed and almost sounding contrite but her eyes were still icy with reproach as she searched his face for some sign of remorse. But the way he was now, his naked body bruised, swollen with welts, bloodied and damp with perspiration, the only expression that rested on his face was one of resigned exhaustion and acceptance of whatever else she would do to him. And that look, how pitiful it made him appear, irritated her more than it should have. Did he even care that he was setting her back much further from her goal?

"Jellal," she stepped forward, the silk skirt of her white dress rustling against her legs as she stepped forward, "I want us to be happy together and everything that I'm doing now, that's how we'll get it done, so I need you to work with me. When you do bad things, I have to punish you like this to make you understand. I don't want to have to do things like this anymore." She was stroking his cheek with a soft, consoling palm and speaking right into his ear with a sickeningly sweet, chiding voice that made him feel as small as a child.

The bounds around his wrists that held his arms above his head released him at the command of Ultear's murmured incantation and slipped back into the thick shadows of the room. The physical restraints were removed but a reminder remained in the lingering heat that made his wrists throb and the impression of black and blue ringlets which were like odd tattoos around the flesh. He collapsed right into her welcoming arms and they sank to the ground together. He couldn't move, his lacerated legs and ankles were too weak to support the bulk of his weight and with most of his energy drained; he had no choice but to pathetically lean on Ultear for support. She was careful not to upset his raw wounds from being whipped and cradled his head against her.

"Please don't do things like that anymore, Jellal. I don't want to hurt you anymore," she said, her tone saccharine and gentle. Her stroking hand on his cheek moved up to smooth the back of his hair and he could do nothing but accept her comfort. It was more involuntary than willful. He had been so deprived of affection that instead of rejecting what he was not used to, he gladly accepted it like a naïve child accepting candy from a stranger. Even though he was aware that such things didn't last, if he could just have it for a fleeting moment then that was fine. He would rather know warmth, than not be familiar with it at all.

"I'm sorry." The words were hoarse and thin, and he looked up at Ultear into the silvery orbs which no longer held reproof but shimmered with sympathy and unspoken forgiveness.

"Shh, it's okay now. I know you won't do it again." Her thumb brushed lovingly over his lips, swiping away the blood and saliva that had collected there. She leaned down and kissed him. "You won't do it again, right?" she inquired and looked him deep in the eyes. Something akin to fear speared through him as her irises swirled a deep and dark crimson, hypnotic in its intensity and he wanted to look away – desperately – but couldn't find the will to.

"Promise me."

His mouth fell open but no words came out as he stared back into her eyes, slowly falling under her spell of obedience.

"Promise me you won't help them anymore." She still sounded sweet but there was a threatening edge to her voice that distorted its pitch.

"…promise. I…promise. I promise." Even though hoarseness shook the clarity of his voice, there was still an obedient atmosphere about him as he reverently chanted those words and that was what Ultear wanted.

Her lips curled wickedly but Jellal paid no attention to her sinister smile, he could see nothing but those red, red eyes.

* * *

Erza looked up when the door was pointedly opened and closed to gain someone's attention – particularly hers, since she was the only one in the office. Laxus' disappointed glare had no effect in putting her in a guilty state. The only thing left for him to do to complete his look was to prop a hand on his hip and tap his foot impatiently. She knew exactly why he was looking at her with narrowed eyes but she sighed, in no mood for such early morning theatrics.

"You were tired so I allowed you to sleep in. I'm not doing too much that I need your help with anything. Plus, you know I usually get into the office earlier than you do." She wheeled around in her chair to the filing cabinet opposite left her desk and stood for a short second, took the stapled papers from the top of the metalwork and handed it to him.

"You could have still woken me," said Laxus, petulant and unforgiving as he took the papers from her and flipped the first page over to glance over the second. They were in a different environment and always making a good impression was paramount to Laxus. He didn't want it to appear that Erza was the more responsible of the two – even if she was. He wanted them to look good together, as a team.

Reluctant to give his quibble the time of day, she ignored it and went on, "I was just working on the report for Lucy's statement. That's a copy. I've already handed the original to Makarov; so just to keep you in the loop read through it."

The swoosh of the chair wheels against the tiled floor momentarily filled the silence as she moved back to her chair then her fingers began tacking at the keys on the keyboard of her computer. She paused a moment to take a sip of warm, black coffee from her mug then returned to whatever document she was typing.

He read through the full, detailed two paged report on what Lucy had said in the interrogation room the previous day. Erza had remembered every detail and word of dialogue, her impeccable memory was why the reports were usually left up to her between the two of them. But he had expected there to be some nuances in the report since she had seemed so removed at some point during the questioning.

"Anything there you wanna add?"

He realized then that she was actually watching him now that he had reached the second page. He lifted a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug then dropped the report on an empty space on her desk. She was asking that question out of the spirit of teamwork but if the report was already sent off, what point was there to even ask? Unless she just meant it to reassure him that she had everything under control.

"I hate it when you do things like this."

"You usually leave the reports to me I don't see why you should be upset about it."

"You missed the point, Erza. I'm not upset."

"Then what's the problem?" she grated impatiently.

Laxus sighed, it wasn't his intention to get into another argument with Erza and have it end with them placating each other with sex. He wasn't expecting that to happen here but he was used to that being the way they amicably settled a dispute between them that the thought just came to him.

"What are you working on now?" he asked, coming around to look down at the monitor display. A document was up, the insert line blinked patiently against the last typed words.

"Just a memo to the department to draw up a sketch of what Lucy's perpetrator looks like, according to the report and have it scanned and forwarded to me so I can print it and get Lucy to I.D him. I don't really want to take her away from her home again. She must be scared shitless to step foot back outside, usual for kidnap victims like her, so I just want to carry out the investigation at a pace that helps her recuperate. You can call her parents and have them know that we'll be stopping by later and would like directions to get to their home so we can speak with Lucy again."

She saw Laxus frowned and asked, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that I don't recall her saying too much about what the guy looked like except the fact that he has a scar and blue hair."

"Aegean," Erza corrected.

Laxus frowned at her, distracted from the response he thought she would have given, "What?"

"His hair is an Aegean shade."

He paused, blankly blinking at her as if that made much of a difference. "Isn't that still blue?"

"A much darker shade than just blue, if that were the case, I think we'd have probably found him as soon as Lucy told us what he looks like. I mean, blue hair and a conspicuous scar over his left eye to boot? We'd hook our prized fish in no time."

Her enthusiasm could easily make you forget that just yesterday she seemed troubled by Lucy's description of the man. He didn't want to think on it too much but her disposition right now unnerved him and it also piqued his curiosity. Whatever woes had plagued her mind the night before was forgotten now and he guessed he just needed to follow suit and focus on the task at hand.

She wrote something down on a torn piece of paper from her notepad and handed it to him. Three numbers were scribbled there and on the left of each was an indicator of whom the phone number would connect him to. It was pretty self-explanatory, if he didn't get through to the home number then he could try Lucy's parents' cell.

"Oh, Laxus?"

"Yeah?" He turned around to look at her.

"Could you refill my mug please? Three sugars."

"Not one?"

She offered a half sheepish grin, "It's gonna be a long day, I need the sugar." Her cup in hand, she held it out to him and uttered a relieved thanks then cracked her knuckles and returned to typing. She stole a glance through her lowered lashes and the moment the door closed after his retreating back, she exhaled loudly and slumped forward.

Had her charade fooled Laxus? For the most part she hoped it did and knew that it was convincing at parts but there were still moments where she noticed that a question flickered in his eyes and his lips twitched with doubt.

Aegean? What the fuck was that? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? Luckily enough her explanation deflected any further questions from Laxus on how the hell she even knew the exact shade of the guy's hair, hair that Lucy specifically said was hard to tell the exact shade of except for its blue tint because it was too dark to really tell. And if push came to shove, she'd have to lie and say that Lucy was able to be more vivid now that she was much calmer and could adequately recall.

Ugh. She mashed her hands to her face and screamed internally, because any outward indication of her stress and frustration would have Laxus or whoever else just so happened to be close by, bolting right through the door. Acting had never been her strong point, minimal facades were easy for her to handle but something of this degree always had a trap lain for her somewhere. And as usual, in her pompous confidence, she fell right into it. But she would keep her fingers crossed that Laxus wouldn't realize that she was lying through her teeth about some things.

At least not all of it was a lie. She did in fact call Lucy's parents and speak with the girl about further details of what the man looked like. Every time she thought of him, Jellal's name floated about in her mind and she forced herself to ignore its taunt. Jellal was not a murderer. Jellal wouldn't hurt anyone. He could never do such a thing, not when he had suffered so much at Paradise Tower; he'd never try to inflict such pain on someone else. But what if he did? What if he was that type of person that no longer wanted to be the only one to suffer? What if he tortured and killed those innocent girls to prove that he wasn't the lone sufferer in this world?

Her brain tried to fight off her own objectivity but that instinct was challenging to ward off. The officer and practical woman inside her wouldn't allow her to be easily led by her personal limitations and feelings. She had an obligation to her job first, later she could nurse her feelings because they didn't factor in what was most important.

The approaching footsteps outside the door alerted her to look the part of an assertive worker and she clicked the 'Send' command on the monitor just as Laxus came in, holding two mugs of steaming coffee. The blue mug, he passed to Erza and she almost thought it was a mockery of their small color debate not too long ago.

"I made the call while I waited for the coffee to heat. They said it's possible for us to stop in at two this afternoon."

"It couldn't have been two in the morning," she quipped and cooled the coffee before carefully taking a sip so her tongue wouldn't scald. She glimpsed Laxus' dull look and her lips quirked teasingly. "Laxus, you know I'm kidding."

"After all this time, it's actually still hard to tell when you're doing what, Erza." There had never been a really simple moment with her, usually everything about her was frank but there was a deeper convolution to the woman that made things that should have been simple that much harder to determine. When they had just been acquainted, dealing with her was much easier because of their general indifference towards each other.

His resigned tone struck an awkward air between them for her and she continued to sip her coffee while scrolling through her work email to see if there were any updates on the case. The office they were given was relatively similar to what they had in Crocus. There were two chairs and desks facing each other with a couple drawers attached to the metalwork, and there was a bit of walking room between the two desks so the space didn't feel cramped.

"He sent the sketch," she said aloud, setting the mug on the table with a dull thump. She sent the document to the printer and once the soft-copy was made tangible and ejected, she showed it to Laxus.

"Attractive guy," he noted.

"You actually pay attention to those details?" she mused and Laxus looked up quickly, ready to defend himself but Erza's raised palms stopped him.

"Teasing."

He rolled his eyes and continued, "I only mentioned that because it's weird that some of these serial killers are the tall, dark and handsome type y'know. Makes you wonder why they do the messed up shit they do, I mean getting girls can't be that hard."

"I guess," she murmured, distant. She could have gone into a debate about the reason not being as simple as getting girls easily but her mind was only focused on the sketch. Marco was a talented artist, if he knew the exact angles and features of the man's face; she'd probably be looking at a spitting image of Jellal. She didn't think it was possible to convince herself that it was anyone but Jellal. She still wanted to grasp at straws of optimism that there was someone else who fit this description.

"I'll leave the meeting with Lucy to you." She sorted through the few papers on her desk then handed what she searched for to him. "It's just a list of questions to clarify what Lucy told us, maybe today she'll be able to remember the woman. That would really help out a lot. Don't forget the sketch," she said.

Laxus took the papers from her and looked above them at her, "And what're you gonna be doing?"

"I have some errands to run."

His brow arched suspiciously, "What errands?"

His reaction triggered her defenses but before she allowed herself to grab the bait, she stared at him as if his question was rhetorical. "Regarding the case, there were other survivors who I got the names and addresses of; I just want to ask them a few questions and see if they've got any valuable information. We both don't need to be at the Heartfilias, we just need to be flexible and get this done as quickly as possible. That's why Gran Doma sent us here; it's why Makarov needs us."

Laxus said nothing at first. Maybe he was getting his personal feelings involved because now that he observed, he knew she was acting the way she normally would. They were still fundamentally a team though they individually carried out different tasks. It was just her actions the previous night that threw him off but he trusted her to get the job done.

"Alright then."

* * *

The chilling, afternoon wind rustled the weeds and wild flowers as Erza made her way to the partly crumbled bench at the Paradise Tower ruins. Coming here was premeditated but she was still chagrined that she went through with it, like the willful idiot she was. This wasn't part of her duties and it wasn't a fact that Jellal would show up again as he had yesterday. But if there was just a chance…

She sighed at that pathetic thought. She wasn't a child and this, what she was doing, was too childish and reckless – even for her. Her left shoe absently crushed the weeds and flowers beneath her foot and her eyes roved the perimeter for any possible sign of him. She wouldn't wait too long. The only commendable thing was that she took care of a small part of what she told Laxus she'd do. She visited with three of the girls who she'd found information on and one gave her information about the same woman Lucy had mentioned. The woman was beautiful and pale with black hair and as much as that description was useful, it would also probably prove futile to find such a woman.

Unlike her counterpart with his obvious features, she could blend all too easily into the crowd and Erza was sure she wasn't so pale-skinned that she'd really bring attention to herself. She would still send a memo out, but doubted that there'd be any positive feedback where that was concerned; it wasn't as if they could round up all the raven-haired, pale women in Magnolia. That was time-consuming and nonsensical. The only thing they could do now was focus on the more obvious suspect.

There was an all-too familiar rustle that made her wary yet swell her chest with eager anticipation. She turned towards the source of the noise and gasped when she saw him, standing there and staring at her, eyes wide with surprise then narrowing to suspicious slits.

"What are you doing here?"

Her surprise left her tongue-tied but after a nervous swallow, she took a careful step towards him. He didn't appear to trust her but even as she tentatively came closer, he stood his ground and watched her.

"I was just" _no, you were not just in the fucking neighborhood_, "I just came here because I wanted to see you again." It was better to admit the truth than to tell some half-baked lie, Erza believed he deserved a lot more than that, especially from someone he trusted but had abandoned him – like all the others had done.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I know that but I just had to see you again," she implored.

Though his blue hood obscured his face with soft shadows, Erza could see that his features were now relaxed and his eyes moved over her. "You look well."

"Thank you," she shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, "h-how've you been?"

He only offered a shrug and a smile that wasn't as sincere as he probably hoped it would have appeared. And she wanted to clearly see his face but felt slightly afraid to ask.

"Jellal…" she came forward and reached out, her hand shaking as she took hold of the edge of his hood. Her eyes sought his for permission and when he said nothing but remained ominously quiet, she removed the hood and a gasp ripped from her throat.

Just yesterday, he had looked so handsome and somewhat contented but now…

The left side of his face that was hidden exposed a battered, purple eye that was swollen shut. His face was bruised all over and the expression on his face filled her with overwhelming rage.

"Who did this to you?"

O.o.O.o


	9. Chapter (Eight)

_**A/N: A new chapter. I was really shocked when I realized I hadn't updated this story since July 9th. I really had planned to get the next chapter out as quickly as probably the first or second week of August but then there was a lot of depression and family issues going on. Mostly, it was my personal issues that took a toll but I think I'm getting through it. I really do hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you so much for the encouragement and thank you for reading.**_

**O.o.O.o**

"Where have you been?"

Erza had been prepared. Really, she had been ready for Laxus' hard and accusatory glare and the caustic judgment in his deep voice. But that still didn't stop the gasp that fled her throat nor the shock of nerves that jolted her body as she entered the dark bedroom.

She was pinning her hopes on him being asleep by the time she returned from being with Jellal but that was silly and wishful thinking. She knew that but was still slightly upset that Laxus could never align his actions with her selfish wishes.

He flipped the lamp switch, flooding the room in an intense orange glow that caused her to squint from its sudden assault. Why did it feel brighter than usual? If Erza wasn't taking this situation seriously, trying to formulate all sorts of plausible excuses for coming back (what time was it anyway?) at God knew the hour; she would have probably choked on a giggle. She wished it was that sort of light-hearted situation. She was doing a lot of wishing tonight and not a single one was being granted. Screw her luck.

His eyes were so hard, the reflection of the incandescent glow making his molten gaze even brighter – more threatening, even – they seemed as if a volcano could erupt within them. His entire face was stiff with his displeasure and concern; his lips formed a tight line and he folded his hands across his chest where he sat on the bed. If he was standing then the mammoth energy of his wrath would be too overwhelming for her to stand her ground in this room.

"I lost track of time, Laxus," she started, in her softest most soothing tone to pacify his anger.

It didn't seem to have much of an effect as he scoffed and rolled his eyes, his glare dissolving to a droll stare, "You don't say. It's fucking two in the morning."

So that was the time.

"Where the hell were you, Erza?" Impatience was riding his tone.

She licked her lips and shrugged, took a deep breath and sauntered over to her bed. That wasn't the right kind of attitude to take, she damned well knew that and she needed to be worried regarding the circumstances but as long as he didn't know...

"I met with an old friend. I..." she started unbuttoning her shirt, taking her time to undress so she could focus on something that wasn't Laxus' shrewd stare, "I lost track of time, I'm sorry. I didn't even stay long. I took a walk to think" – that part was definitely true – "and...I'm really sorry."

"What happened to your phone?"

She blinked up at him for a moment, questioning and almost innocent with her round, chocolate gaze, but he shot down what he knew was an obvious pretence with a glare and she dropped her eyes to her hands. She shrugged out of her blouse and focused on her pants next.

"I called you and it kept going to voicemail. I texted you too and I know you read them."

She hated this. She hated feeling backed into a corner and she knew she wouldn't have to feel this way if she just blurted the truth and got the heavy burden off her chest but this was something she wanted to keep to herself for a while. It was stupid, so very stupid of her and she knew that. It was unprofessional, she knew that too and it would set them back a bit in their investigation. She was screwing her priorities right in the ass but it was something she couldn't help. No, she could but she couldn't. She...

Erza sighed and dropped on her bed then began rubbing her temples. She was going to give herself a horrible migraine if she allowed her thoughts to continue screaming at her like this, her moral battling against her stubborn and arbitrary feelings.

"Laxus I just wanted to be with him a moment. I didn't want to answer your calls; I didn't want to respond to your texts. I just wanted to be with him." She was extra careful with her tone, gentle and somewhat hesitant with her response. It was also very much part of the truth.

She chanced a look up at him through her lowered lashes and watched the subtle emotions work his face as though he was trying to cement her response in his mind. For the most part, his features were no longer hard with anger but were turning soft with a realization that he seemed reluctant to accept.

"I see...so he's a friend of yours?"

Erza nodded and supplied, "I haven't seen him since I left this place when I was much younger."

"I see."

Now it was her turn to be concerned, her lips hooked down in a contemplative frown as she watched him lay back on the soft pillows. His silence made the quiet atmosphere that much heavier and she was relieved when he spoke up again – though she wished he wouldn't continue on the same subject.

"How long ago was that? Who recognized who first?"

"It's been years. About eleven or twelve years now; we both recognized each other." She peeled off her socks and got up. "I'm gonna take a shower."

The life seemed to return to his face as he fixed her with a perplexed stare, "At this hour?"

"I really want a shower," she answered and closed the bathroom door behind her. That was a good enough escape and she truly wanted to take a shower. She slid back the shower curtain and stepped into the stall, brass eyelets dragging against the rod as she pushed the plastic curtain closed.

The taps squeaked as she turned the water on, the cold spray turning warm and she dipped her head beneath it and allowed the water to blend with her hot and bitter tears.

_"__I've done things, Erza. I've done horrible things." _

It was basically an admission of crime and guilt. Erza was fully aware of that but what was she to do? She couldn't slap cuffs around his wrists and spit commands that he would be taken to the station and if he didn't comply, there would be greater consequences. She just couldn't do it, not when he had looked so sad and as if the guilt was viciously eating him raw and relentless. That sort of cold and brusque method was reserved for apathetic and unapologetic criminals. Not for Jellal, she couldn't do it.

She covered her face with her hands and wept into wet palms and quivering fingers, her shoulders racked with each heavy but silent sob. There was so much she was putting at risk in this situation: her reputation, her job, the trust and respect of her colleagues and her own peace of mind. But she couldn't throw Jellal behind bars. He'd been imprisoned long enough and he wasn't going to die that way. She wasn't going to let that happen. There was a woman involved and if she could just find her then there would definitely be a way she could save him.

He wasn't too forthcoming with who had beaten him viciously but she knew it had to be that woman and God help her when Erza found her. The memory of his bruised face peppered her conflicted emotions with rage and a sense of conviction that withholding information from Laxus was the right thing to do.

_"__I'm glad you're doing well Erza. But you shouldn't involve yourself with me anymore."_

There had been a strong sense of foreboding when he had said that while they sat together at the ruins. But she wasn't going to listen to him because Jellal deserved to be happy more than anyone she knew. And she felt she was okay with risking everything just for him.

* * *

It was a slow day at the station and there was nobody to blame for that but herself. The investigation unit had already done all that was possible; posters of the sketched alleged criminal were plastered everywhere but no one had come forward with information yet.

The guilt that she knew so much more than she let on came in waves but her dogged will dulled its crash against her conscience. She blew against her cup of coffee, steam curling up into the air before her eyes and slightly humidifying the area around her philtrum. She sipped at it, the rich black taste melting against her tongue, and glanced up when Laxus came through the door.

"Hey," he greeted with two cups of coffee in his hands and a defeated look came over his face when he noticed Erza was already enjoying a cup.

"Hey," she echoed and put her mug down on her desk with a soft thunk. She eyed the cups of coffee and extended her hand for one. For once, Laxus did her wishful bidding because she needed the extra cup of coffee to settle her nerves and she thanked him when he handed it to her.

She raised the lid to her lips and sipped delicately, and then lowered it and reached for the mug which earned her doubtful look from Laxus; as if she was probably off her rockers.

"Don't ask. But in case you're wondering, the different textures are a bit nice. It's calming me down."

"What's wrong?"

Uh-oh. That was the bad thing about coffee; it loosened her tongue as well and could drop hints she would rather leave unvoiced. She shrugged a shoulder noncommittally and instead of alternating between mug and Styrofoam cup, she continued drinking from the former.

"There's just a lot on my mind. I feel as if we're getting nowhere with this case and..." she trailed off into another sip, words dying in the warm heat of coffee filing her mouth. She was lucky her nose didn't extend eight inches in that moment.

"And?" Laxus prodded, gesturing with his left hand for her to continue.

She shook her head and licked her lips, "I just want to catch this person."

"We all do. I'm sure everyone would feel better with the bastard behind bars but all we can do now is wait; there's nothing else we can do for now. Wait!"

His half-shout surprised her and she watched Laxus place his mug on the desk while he reached in his black pants pocket for something. He brandished a folded piece of paper, a beaming smile pulling his cheeks wide as if he'd one the lottery, and handed it to her.

Curious, Erza snatched it from him and unfolded it. Scribbled in Laxus' chicken scratch script handwriting, she read what detailed directions to somewhere.

"I should've told you – actually I was going to if you had answered my damn calls. Lucy remembered bits and pieces of the place she escaped from. The location sounds a bit strange. I haven't seen a ruined building since I've been here..."

His rambling was muted by the loudness of her own thoughts and dread. It was beginning to make sense. It was starting to make a whole lot of sense and this piece of paper, the written location confirmed what she already knew and had tried to deny.

It was strange that Jellal had shown up at Paradise Ruins the first time she had been there. It wasn't just some force of fate. Something was going on there, something different but no less horrific, she was sure of it. She saw the pictures of the dead girls. No...he wouldn't. Her palms grew clammy and Laxus' voice started to filter in through her thoughts.

"I was going to give it to Makarov's investigation unit to let them handle it, but this is our case and-"

"I'm glad you didn't." She got up and reached for her coat, slung over the back of her chair and shrugged it on.

Laxus was watching her, almost too caught up in her flurry of movements that she almost slipped through the door and got away from him.

"Erza!" he barked and she halted just as stepped foot through the door.

"What?" she demanded, sounding more irritated than intended and her chocolate gaze turned hot and testy.

"I'm getting tired of us not working on this together, like we should. Gran Doma didn't send you alone, he sent us." He could almost hear a wince issue from her at that fact. "So this time, I'm coming with you" – his eyes narrowed to determined slits when he noticed her mouth working as if she wanted to protest – "whether you like it or not."

He stared her down and she returned his gaze levelly then with a defeated huff, she grumbled, "Alright." and had to forcibly subdue her temper that almost had her stomping off like a spoiled child. She didn't want to make Laxus more suspicious than she knew he already was. She was pushing her luck as it was. She just hoped Jellal wouldn't show up on the scene.

* * *

After stopping to eat at a spot for lunch that Marco had previously recommended to Laxus, they followed the directions by asking persons questions along the way – Erza wasn't going to provide him with her own knowledge – and reached the ruins as the time drew closer to dusk.

"What used to be here, a church?" Laxus asked as he walked around the ruins, trampling wild flowers and weeds with each step over the terrain as he observed the perimeter.

"An orphanage," Erza responded, slowly mimicking his steps and watching him take in the dilapidated building and surrounding area.

"Aren't they gonna do something with this place?" he murmured and Erza shrugged unseen. "Looks as if it was probably a nice place in the past..."

Dumbfounded, Erza blinked at his back and her face tightened with offense though she knew it wasn't Laxus' fault that he was ignorant of Paradise's history. Most persons were. Unlike many other orphanages where their exposed secrets quickly put them out of business, the people who had run this place knew how to hide theirs, and hide them well.

"I don't see an entrance anywhere here." They had walked the entire perimeter, up to where the rusted gates stopped at a hedge that bordered it from a house some feet away that looked abandoned but was probably occupied by a few homeless persons.

There was that all too familiar rustle, the sound of approaching footsteps and Erza could feel her heart die, Laxus moved like quicksilver and whipped his gun from the holster and whirled around to the sound of the noise, gun aimed forward.

"Laxus!" Erza was getting ready to scold him that he was too on edge but the words wilted like a dying rose in her throat as she came face to face with Jellal. And this time, he wasn't wearing his hood.

Why wasn't he wearing his hood?

"Freeze!" Laxus bellowed but Jellal, his striking and bewildered chestnut eyes darting from Laxus to Erza, grasped the situation quickly and pivoted on his heel and made a dash in escape.

"Oi!" Laxus started forward but Erza cut him off, shooting past him like a fired bullet after Jellal's fast retreating back. He was disappearing into the tall bushes behind the ruins but Erza was keeping up a few feet behind him. Her breaths came in sharp huffs and the fear and adrenaline sent burst after burst of energy surging through her limbs, powering her forward as she slapped at the tall grass and weeds that obscured her path.

She wanted to shout after Jellal to stop but she couldn't do that, not with Laxus following behind – and she knew he was. She almost slipped when Jellal made a sharp turn, veering from the straight path he was taking ahead. He must have realized that was stupid. Regaining her balance, Erza followed after him and was careful to make a sharp turn when he did. She didn't know where he was running to and she was afraid he was leading them right into his accomplice. And what if it wasn't just the woman?

Panic swelled her chest along with her exertion but her training and own long-distance running exercises were helping her keep up on this chase. God, she wished she had worn a better bra today.

She finally glanced behind her to see if Laxus was following behind her and shrieked when she took a sharp plummet. Her ass met hard ground and a hand clamped over her mouth. Heavy breaths jetted from her nose and she blinked up into Jellal's imploring gaze before she could rationalize just where she had fallen to.

"Don't make a sound." She nodded at his soft yet firm command. No. No, she shouldn't be agreeing with him.

"Erza!" Above them, Laxus was calling out for his partner. His voice sounded distant but his next yell sounded closer.

She should have bit into Jellal's palm then kicked him away and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Down here!" but she allowed herself to be quietly and quickly led away by Jellal's hand. A glance behind her revealed she had slipped down a landslide and considering their path forward, it seemed Jellal was taking her right back to the ruins. He was leading her right to where Lucy had escaped from. She swallowed thickly.

"Jellal..."

He didn't stop until they were a ways from Laxus, who was calling out for her and dialling her phone, becoming frantic with worry. And Erza could tell Laxus would beat himself up with guilt if anything were to happen to her. She was going to voluntarily cause him pain and torture and she was so sorry for that, she was probably walking straight into suicide but...

Her grip tightened slowly around Jellal's hand and she bit her lip, following silently and only stopped when he did to look at her.

There was a moment of heavy and awkward silence. He didn't question her if she was a cop, honestly his entire reaction to her was throwing her off-balance and she didn't know how to react to that. She wasn't being a cop.

"Erza?"

Her heart felt as if it stopped thudding in her chest and climbed right into her throat to choke her. He hardly ever called her by her name. It had always been Red.

"Yes?" she asked.

Jellal looked her deep in the eyes and his hand shifted to thread his fingers through hers and held tight, "Do you trust me?"

**O.o.O.o**


	10. Side Story

_**A/N: So for those who actually follow this story (and are still with me) I hope you aren't too disappointed that this isn't a continuation of the main story. It's related, so think of this as a flashback story - just for a little fluff. I'm still working on the chapters and it's a challenge working out how everything will end. And there may not be much fluff between Erza and Jellal so I want to give this to you. Also it's Christmas, and if not an upload of the main story, at least a side story. I really hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas :)**_

* * *

She waited until the lights were switched off, until the door to the orphans' dorm was shut with a final click that echoed, before she threw off the thin cover that barely kept away the cold, and stuffed her pillow beneath it. The cotton of her nightshirt brushed against her thighs as she tiptoed to Jellal's bed, where he sat up and waited for her.

Erza smiled at him and crawled into the bed, nestling herself beneath the cover and he rested beside her. They spent most nights like this and always chatted together; about going away and what they imagined their dream parents to be like, of where they imagined themselves to be in ten years, of the places they wanted to go, of the things they wanted to experience. Every now and again there was a hissing hush from nearby beds, bitterly admonishing them and with half-hearted repentance, they would go back to soft whispers.

But tonight, he was oddly quiet. The initiation of conversation was usually a tossup between them but Erza had nothing to offer tonight, so she waited.

She didn't realize how heavy with sleep her eyes became until he finally spoke up and she had to blink rapidly to fight off the creeping drowsiness.

"What did you say?" she whispered, shifting her weight on her elbow and resting her head in her palm.

"Do you believe in Santa?" he asked, his hands folded behind his head as he rested back.

"Santa?" she frowned in the darkness at him, "what's that?"

"Santa Claus. They say he's a fat man who carries presents for kids, he rides a sleigh pulled by reindeer and he usually goes down chimneys."

"He's fat and goes down chimneys?" she snickered at that and quickly swallowed her laugh when an upset 'Ssh' came from the left bunk. "That sounds stupid."

Before Jellal could respond, the door opened and he quickly pulled Erza down and pressed himself to her, holding her tight to his chest. Erza's heart pounded as she waited and swallowed as quietly as she could, though it sounded like a deafening gulp to her.

Seconds that felt like dragging and dreadful minutes passed, then the door closed and he released her, his body relaxing with a heavy exhale. They were never usually caught because the narrow spacing between the bunks made it impossible for the foster mother to do a bed by bed check.

Erza blinked up at what she could make of Jellal's face in the thick darkness and their eyes held. She didn't know how she could tell but she knew he was smiling.

"It's dark, but I can tell your cheeks are as red as your hair," he teased.

She scoffed quietly and rolled her eyes. Her heart was still racing, drumming wildly to an offbeat rhythm, and she hoped it was inaudible to him. "What gave you that idea? My cheeks aren't red, I'm fine."

He pressed his palm to her cheek, where the heat melted into his skin, then said, "Liar."

She shoved at him a little and sneered unseeingly as he let out soft snorts that faded into the silence.

"Jellal?"

"Hm?"

"If…if you believe in Santa and could get one wish from him, what would it be?"

"I'd wish for…freedom, for you and me. That we can be together forever,"

Heat returned to her cheeks, threatening to melt the skin right from the bones, "But that's three, Santa isn't a genie."

"But it's focused on the same thing."

"I guess…"

She plucked at the fitted sheet beneath her fingers, letting the quiet settle over them again since she couldn't find anything to say.

"What about you?"

She lifted her eyes to him, "Me?"

"Mhm, what would you want from Santa, if you believed in him?"

"The same thing you want."

Jellal smiled at that, "Then I can depend on Santa to grant your wish for the two of us. I'm naughty so he wouldn't grant my wish."

She frowned, "No, you're not. Why would you say that?"

She couldn't tell what his face looked like, and she really wished the moon was as bright tonight as it had been a few nights ago, when it had rinsed the entire dorm in silver light, so she could see his expression. All she had to know he was deep in thought was his slow and steady breathing. Or was he sleeping?

"As long as you think so, then that's all that matters." He pulled her close, and a short gasp issued from her.

Her stiff body slowly relaxed in his arms and she hesitantly fisted his shirt, breathed in his scent, listened to his soft respiration.

"Well we don't need Santa. I'll grant your wish by myself, I promise."

Maybe her whisper settled in his subconscious, because a small smile came to his sleeping face.

**O.o.O.o**


End file.
